Viva Energy is pleased to announce the appointment of Bill Patterson as General Manager of its Geelong Refinery.
Bill is a chemical engineer with more than 20 years experience in the energy industry, including a number of roles at the Geelong Refinery where he started his career. He worked for Shell and later Viva Energy in roles that have taken him from Australia to Oman and Singapore. Most recently Bill held the position of CEO of Liberty Rural, Viva Energy's growing regional and rural fuel business.
He will support Dale Cooper, who is overseeing delivery of a slate of development projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars at the refinery over the next 18 months. These projects – including three 30-million-litre diesel storage tanks, the Ultra Low Sulphur Gasoline plant, a renewable hydrogen refuelling station and a refinery turnaround planned for 2025 – represent a significant investment in the refinery’s future, allowing it to produce cleaner fuels and contribute to Australia’s energy security.
“I’m excited to be back at the refinery where I began my career back in 2001,” Bill said. “And it is pleasing to know that Dale will be here to oversee delivery of these critical projects that represent a huge investment in Geelong’s economy and the future of the refinery, positioning the facility as a key player in the energy transition.”
Bill said that as a young person he was attracted to the refinery because it was big, complicated and played an important role in Victoria’s energy system.
“Like so many others, I found it was a great place to work while I learnt new skills, and I hope that it will continue to provide opportunities to other generations for years to come,” Bill said. "I am very proud of what we do at the refinery in Geelong, producing fuels and other vital products which are supplied to every state in the country. We play a big role in Australia’s energy security – our ability to turn raw materials into high-quality products means we are providing resilience to the nation’s fuel supply chains while keeping value-add and skilled jobs onshore.”
With the support of the federal government, Viva Energy is investing in Australia’s strategic storage capacity and cleaner fuels production. Looking to the future, Bill said this will cement Geelong’s important role in the energy transition.
“The energy transition presents important opportunities for Geelong,” he said. “Our refinery in Corio is at the centre of our plans for the Viva Energy Hub, giving us the jump on emerging prospects. Construction of our renewable hydrogen refuelling station is already well advanced and we are committed to electrification of key parts of the refinery to reduce our emissions. We are working with Cleanaway to investigate the potential for reprocessing waste plastics through the refinery, that could see the production of lower carbon fuels, recycled food-grade plastic and a reduction in the amount of waste going to landfill. The future is genuinely exciting.”
Bill has family roots in the Geelong region, where he lives with his wife and three children. He recognises the importance of the refinery’s role in the Geelong community, especially its northern suburb neighbours.
“We are committed to running the refinery safely and want to be a good neighbour to the people and businesses in the north of Geelong” he said. “We are keen to have a positive impact on the community and will continue to actively work with local community organisations at a grass roots level.”
While Bill has family connections with the Geelong region, as a child he lived in Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Papua New Guinea, Nhulunbuy, Brisbane and later in Geelong, where his parents worked at Geelong Grammar School.
Bill studied engineering at Melbourne University and got vacation work at what was then known as “Shell Refinery”, where he worked on the refinery's firefighting and flare systems. He joined the Geelong Refinery as a chemical engineer in 2001 and has worked for Shell and later Viva Energy, including stints in Sydney, Melbourne, Oman and Singapore.
He moved back to Geelong from Singapore in 2020 so he could be close to family and the regional lifestyle they missed.
"The kids have adapted really well and we've found the Geelong community to be very accepting and open,” Bill said. “It is a vibrant, active community and such a dynamic, healthy place – I never cease to be amazed at the number of people I see out exercising at 5.30 every morning! I love to see that."
Bill is a keen cyclist and enjoys riding his bike three or four times a week with the local cycling community. He is an avid reader and a fan of music, admitting to having eclectic tastes.
Dale Cooper has been the Executive General Manager of the Geelong Refinery since 2020. He said he is proud of what he and the refinery team have achieved over the past four years and he looks forward to working closely with Bill and the project teams to ensure the successful delivery of the development projects which will be critical to the future of the refinery.
Media Enquiries
Michael Cave
T: +61 409 647 910
E: michael.cave@vivaenergy.com.au
About Viva Energy
Viva Energy (ASX: VEA) is one of Australia’s leading energy companies and supplies approximately a quarter of the country’s liquid fuel requirements. It is the exclusive supplier of high-quality Shell fuels and lubricants in Australia through an extensive network of more than 1,330 service stations across the country.
Viva Energy owns and operates the strategically located Geelong Refinery in Victoria, and operates bulk fuels, aviation, bitumen, marine, chemicals, polymers and lubricants businesses supported by more than 50 terminals and 55 airports and airfields across the country. For more information: www.vivaenergy.com.au